Taxon name
Echis carinatus ssp. sochureki
Stemmler, 1969
Infrarank
Echis carinatus sochureki
Infratype
Subspecies (animalia)
Uploaded by
National Red List Database
Taxonomic information
Scientific name
Echis carinatus ssp. sochureki
Stemmler, 1969
Assessed taxon level
Subspecies
Infrarank
Echis carinatus sochureki
Infratype
Subspecies (animalia)
Higher level taxonomic groupings
Vertebrates
Reptiles
Species authority
Stemmler, 1969
Location and scope
Specific locality or subnational name or regional name
United Arab Emirates (the)
Scope (of the Assessment)
National
Countries included within the scope of the assessment
United Arab Emirates (the)
Does the assessment cover a marine EEZ area(s)?
Not_assigned
Conservation Status
Assessed as
Least Concern
Criteria system used
IUCN
(see Assessment details)
Assessment rationale/justification
This subspecies is listed as Least Concern for the UAE in view of its wide distribution, large population, presence in several protected areas throughout its range, its ability to thrive in modified habitats and as it is unlikely to be declining fast enough to qualify for listing in a more threatened category. This taxon is not a non-breeding visitor, and it is presumed that any immigration from populations outside the UAE is not significant, and therefore there is no adjustment to the Category according to the IUCN regional and national Guidelines (IUCN 2012).
Assessment details
Assessors/contributors/reviewers listed
UAE National Red List Workshop
Criteria system used
IUCN
Reference for methods given
IUCN. 2012. IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria: Version 3.1, Second edition. IUCN, Gland, Switzerland and Cambridge, UK. iv + 32pp pp. And IUCN. 2012. Guidelines for Application of IUCN Red List Criteria at Regional and National Levels: Version 4.0. Gland, Switzerland and Cambridge, UK: IUCN. iii + 41pp.
Further information
Endemism (according to assessment)
Endemic to region
Not assigned
Taxon distribution as listed in assessment
Within the United Arab Emirates, this subspecies ranges from Ras Al Khaimah to Abu Dhabi, including the east coast and the Al Ain region (Gardner 2013, Burriel-Carranza et al. in press). It is also known from a few localities within the Hajar Mountains. It generally occurs from sea level to 300 m asl, but can be found at up to 1,100 m asl.Globally, the subspecies distribution extends from northern India, Pakistan, Iran, to Oman and the United Arab Emirates (Phelps 2010).
Is there a map available in assessment?
Yes
Habitat and systems
Ecological system type
Habitat
Habitat details as listed in assessment
The subspecies is found in vegetated sandy desert and gravel plains, including areas of cultivation and urban areas.It is a nocturnal snake that may be active in the day during the cooler months of the year. They feed on a wide range of prey including invertebrates, lizards and small mammals (Gardner 2013). Females are viviparous, producing clutches of 10-11 live young (Gardner 2013). They are the most abundant viper species within the United Arab Emirates to be found in urban gardens and cultivated land where they appear to be flourishing. The species is medically important, causing the most snake-bite incidence in the United Arab Emirates, although fatalities are extremely rare.
Threats and conservation measures listed
Threats listed in assessment
There are no major threats to this widespread species. It is persecuted throughout most of its range due to human fear of this venomous species.
Publication
Els, J., Allen, D., Hilton-Taylor, C., Harding, K. (2019). UAE National Red List of Herpetofauna: Amphibians & Terrestrial Reptiles, Sea Snakes & Marine Turtles. MOCCAE, UAE
